the end was just the beginning

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Blown away

Slightly embarrassing confession: after dating DD for more than three years, we only just got around to inviting my sister and her husband up to visit his place yesterday.

Ooops.

We’re usually spoilt with delicious food at their place, then we laze around in their spa drinking Prosecco. It’s a hard combination to beat.

But we tried to even up the balance slightly on Sunday.

First we dragged them up a hill in cyclonic winds to visit Barrenjoey Lighthouse and admire the stunning dual views of the ocean and Pittwater. (Though I was a bit worried we’d all be swept into the sea, the wind really was that strong.)

Afterwards, DD cooked a chargrilled feast with his new bbq on his back deck.

It was a lovely way to spend the day.

It was actually the third day in a row that I’d trawled up the coast for some loveliness at DD’s place. Blistering heat chased me up there for splashes in the surf on Friday and Saturday. It really is the most magical place.

In between swims, DD popped down to my heat box to uninstalled the youngest’s play equipment and eat Thai food with some of his oldest friends. The couple made my night when they walked into the restaurant and announced that I’d ordered so well last time we had dinner, why didn’t I do it again? I was thrilled, since I’d already decided what all the best things on the menu were – the restaurant makes the prettiest purple flower dumplings and who can resist lamb shank massaman? I also regaled them with the tale of how in my youth I was infamous for insisting on collecting everyone’s menus and choosing the share food.

(When I told my sister what I’d done she showed me a meme that made her think of me, it said something like “I’m not bossy, I just know what you should be doing” … or was it “I’m not bossy I just know the right way to do things”? There’s another great one that says “I’m not bossy, I simply make suggestions without options.”)

The youngest was delirious with joy to come home yesterday from her Noosa holiday and have a proper bed.

She arrived with some “wonky hearts” she bought for me at Eumundi Markets. AND she’d put in an advance request for dinner: chewy noodles.

She likes the fresh Shanghai ones from the Chinese supermarket from my work. So I cooked them up with prawns and bok choy, then she took to her revamped bed for a Gilmore Girls marathon while the eldest and I watched Die Hard together … and abnormal family life resumed.

It’s great to have the kids back.

Hope you had a good weekend too.

Here are some (no filter) happy snaps – DD said I had to make sure everyone knew he took the arty close-up one between the two rocks.

We painted the room a year or so ago, so it will stay dreamy blue. The room does look quite lovely without the play equipment and my tired body is enjoying not having to get down on the floor to give her a cuddle goodnight.